# Material between us and the star, not bound to it, such as structure in the interstellar medium or a small…

> Still possible: Material between us and the star, not bound to it, such as structure in the interstellar medium or a small body with a large disk…

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/answers/ANS0D8E78XP0036/material-between-us-and-the-star-not-bound-to-it-such-as  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Tabby's star (KIC 8462852)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star)[What blocks the light during the deep, irregular dips?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips)Answer

Answer · Tabby's star (KIC 8462852)

# Material between us and the star, not bound to it, such as structure in the interstellar medium or a small…

Material between us and the star, not bound to it, such as structure in the interstellar medium or a small body with a large disk crossing the line of sight.

**Still possible** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Still possible** Its tests haven't settled it: two pieces of evidence for, one against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Dip timing is random and unrelated to any orbital period of the star.
- Interstellar absorption lines (such as sodium) vary with the dips.
- The fade and the dips share one cause.

## What would rule it out

- A strict periodicity in the dips, or a direct measurement placing the dust within a few au of the star (for example from its orbital speed across the disk).

## Evidence 2 for · 1 against

[The timings of the deepest dips are consistent with being random.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/evidence/EVD0D8E795G77MH/the-timings-of-the-deepest-dips-are-consistent-with-being)

Supported

FOR

[Wright and Sigurdsson rate the interstellar-medium and intervening-disk models as the most plausible natural…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/evidence/EVD0D8E79DA0E5M/wright-and-sigurdsson-rate-the-interstellar-medium-and)

Suggestive

FOR

[Dip ingress and egress times of days fit material moving at orbital speeds close to the star better than a…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/evidence/EVD0D8E79N41XT9/dip-ingress-and-egress-times-of-days-fit-material-moving-at)

Speculative

AGAINST

## The questions it answers

[What blocks the light during the deep, irregular dips?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips)

Most likelyClumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). Material between us and the star, not bound to it, such as structure in the interstellar medium or a small… [Answer ANS0D8E78XP0036]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D8E78XP0036
```

Key

**ANS** 0D8E78XP0036

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

Added by

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